Recommended Providers

These VoIP service providers all delivery excellent call quality while having outstanding reputations, cheap prices, and good customer support. Each VoIP service works in a somewhat different way, so choose the one that best suites your needs.

Pingo.com is primarily known as a calling card company, but it's actually a major VoIP telecommunications carrier, too.

In recent months, Pingo has begun offering serveral products, like Pingo Softphone and Pingo EZ Dial, that have connections methods that look more like VoIP services than traditional dial-in calling cards. Plus, with Pingo, you can use any of the connection methods interchangeably within the same plan, so you have a lot of flexibility. [Note: rates may vary depending on the dialing method used.]

Pingo is famous for their low calling card rates, and their VoIP services offer even lower per minute calling rates between most countries. Their pricing is also very clean and simple with few extra fees. No long term contracts or special equipment is required.

Pingo is the retail arm of iBasis, one of the world's largest international VoIP carriers. Because they carry their own traffic, they are able to offer higher call quality and better technical support than many other companies.

Mobivox

Mobivox is a VoIP service designed especially for mobile phones. Mobivox offers several connection methods and employs voice commands to make it easier to dial from your mobile. It has a very strong global orientation and cheap rates to most countries around the world.

The connection methods Mobivox offers are:

Direct Call works something like a calling card in that you dial into the Mobivox network using an access number. Mobivox has access numbers in over 40 countries - more than any other company we know of. Once you connect, your phone number is recognized by their 'Voice Assistant' who asks who you want to call. You speak the name, if you have them in your Mobivox address book, or you dial the destination number. Your call is then completed and you talk from your regular phone for as long as you want.

Auto Callback. To use Auto Callback, you first need to activate the option in your account. Then when you dial into a Mobivox access number, you don't get the Voice Assistant, but rather a permanent busy signal. This works as a 'ping' to alert Mobivox that you want to make a call. The 'Voice Assistant' then calls you back and you do as with the 'Direct Call' - either give voice prompt to call someone in your address book, or you dial a destination number.

Web Callback is a web-activated VoIP service that allows you make international calls to and from regular landline and mobile phones worldwide. You initiate calls from your web browser by entering the destination number you wish to call. Mobivox already knows your phone number from your account information. Mobivox then dials out to both the destination number and your designated landline or mobile number. When both parties pick up, the call is connected. This means you can use any normal landline or mobile phone for a Mobivox web callback call. The service requires no downloads or other equipment, but does require a computer with internet access.

SMS Callback is a third way to initiate a VoIP callback with Mobivox. Using this method, you text the person or number you want to call to certain Mobivox numbers. The Mobivox Voice Assistant then calls you back and also calls the requested destination number. When both parties pick up, the call is connected. Mobivox currently has two numbers you can text to - one for North America and one for the United Kingdom.

Skype Call. With Skype Call, you can connect to your Skype contacts for free. You do this by dialing a Mobivox access number.

Mobivox is participating in a new 'global' virtual number program offered by iNum. Through Mobivox, you can purchase an iNum global virtual phone number with a 'country code' of +883. People can then call you on your +883 number from anywhere in the world at very reasonable rates. They can either dial the +883 number directly or, if you want, they can dial via a Mobivox access number. Your +883 number moves with you anywhere you may be in the world. Virtual numbers are sort of like having a personal '800' number which allows people to call you collect. Your caller pays to reach the +883 number, but you pay once that connection is made (unless they use the Mobivox access numbers, then you pay both legs). iNum numbers are free during the beta launch.

Mobivox has an very nice address book and easy to use online account interface. These allow you to configure your account quickly.

To use Mobivox services, you can either sign up for a monthly subscription or buy on a prepaid pay-as-you-go basis. The prepaid plans include various numbers of minutes between any of the 40 main countries they serve and include direct calling only. Callbacks and calls to other countries are billed at the stated per minute rates. With prepaid minutes, you can use any connection mode or call any country as long as your balance holds out. They often have special introductory offers.

Mobivox rates vary depending on the type of call you make - rates are generally very competitve.

Mobivox has access numbers in 40 countries worldwide. Callback can be done to / from any country worldwide. Check their website for details.

Jajah

Jajah.Direct allows VoIP dialing from your mobile or landline telephone. It works something like a calling card, but with a twist. The first time you call someone, you connect to jajah by dialing a local access number from your phone. Once connected to jajah, you then dial the destination international number you want and the call is completed and you talk from your regular phone. Once you complete the call, you are automatically sent a regular local phone number to use if you want to re-connect with that same number. When you redial the number, it is effectively a shortcut to both log you into the jajah VoIP network and to dial the destination international number again at one time. Jajah access numbers are available in 19 countries worldwide. The US has the largest number of access numbers.

Jajah.Web is a web-activated VoIP service or VoIP callback service that allows you make international calls to landline and mobile phones worldwide. You initiate calls from your web browser by entering the destination number you wish to call (it already knows your phone number from your account information). Jajah then dials out to both that destination number and to your designated landline or mobile number. When both parties pick up their regular phones, the call is connected and you carry on talking as long as you want. This means you can use any normal landline or mobile phone for a jajah.web call. The service requires no downloads or other equipment, but does require a computer with internet access.

Jajah.Mobile Web is a mobile version of Jajah.Web that has been designed specifically for web-enabled smartphones. This service allows you to make web-activated international VoIP calls from your iPhone, Blackberry, Treo, or other smartphone device. The process is exactly the same as with jajah.web, except that you initiate the call through your phone's mobile web browser instead of your computer.

Jajah.Buttons allows you to install point-and-click 'call me' buttons on your website, blog, social media profile, email signature, or other web venue. By clicking on a button, people can initiate a Jajah VoIP call to you while keeping your personal number private.

To use all of the above services, you need to register with jajah and establish a prepaid balance in your account. You can then make calls against this balance, refilling your account as necessary. Jajah rates are generally a bit lower than Skype's.

Jajah services are available from many countries worldwide. Check their website for details.

Skype

With well over 100 million users worldwide, Skype is no doubt the best known and most widely used VoIP service in the world. Skype also has the most comprehensive VoIP calling products, features, and connections options.

Skype-to-Skype Calling allows you to make free international VoIP calls to anyone else using Skype anywhere in the world. Calls are made from your PC or smartphone.

SkypeOut allows you to make international calls to people worldwide on their regular landline or mobile phones. Per minute charges apply.

SkypeIn is a virtual local phone number service that allows you to buy a local phone number in 25+ countries worldwide for ~US$5 per month. With SkypeIn, when people call you on your local number, their call is forwarded directly to your Skype device where you can pick it up. You can buy a virtual number in the United States that your friends and family can call. The call is then routed via Skype to your computer or smartphone at home.

Skype-to-Go allows you to make VoIP phone calls from your regular mobile or landline telephone. Skype-to-Go works just like a calling card in that you connect to Skype by dialing a local access number from your phone. Then you dial the international number you want and the call is completed. Skype-to-Go access numbers are available in 10+ countries worldwide.

Skype Video Calling allows you to make free international video calls from your computer or from a Skype videophone. Video calls can be made to anyone else using Skype anywhere in the world. Webcam or videophone required.

Skype Chat / IM allows you to chat for free with colleagues worldwide from your computer or smartphone using Skype software.

There are two options for buying paid Skype services. One option is to buy prepaid credit and then have call charges deducted as you go. Basically, like you would with a calling card. The other option is to buy a monthly plan for US$3 - US$15 per month depending on the plan details. Monthly plans provide unlimited calling to certain specified countries. For countries not included in these plans, you'll need to buy prepaid credits against a per minute calling rate.

All free and most paid Skype services are available from all countries worldwide. Certain paid Skype services are available only in selected countries - generally as controlled by local VoIP regulations.

Skype per minute rates are generally very good, but they are not always the cheapest available. Check the country destinations you'll be calling most frequently to confirm they offer good rates to those countries.

A computer or smartphone with a broadband connection and/or other equipment is generally required to use Skype.

Note that the Skype website, while colorful and fun, is quite confusing. We always struggle to find what we are looking for when we visit.

Lingo

Lingo provides a VoIP phone service that was recently voted #1 VoIP provider by Wired Magazine. Like Vonage and similar companies, Lingo provides a complete VoIP internet phone service that is designed to replace your existing landline phone service. It is not a quick hit solution for making international calls, but rather a replacement phone service with fundamentally lower cost than most regular landline providers.

Depending on the plan you select, Lingo service can include unlimited long distance and international calls from the United States to up to 30 countries. For countries not included in their unlimited plans, a per minute rate applies. Lingo VoIP phone service has most features you'd expect from your regular phone service: voice mail, caller ID, 3-way calling, speed dial, call waiting, call forwarding, etc. Inbound calls can be made to your Lingo phone from any mobile or landline phone anywhere in the world using the same dialing procedure as with a 'normal' phone. Lingo service can also be configured to include virtual phone numbers in other countries.

To use the Lingo service, the company provides you with a 'Lingo phone adaptor' that connects your landline telephone to the internet through your broadband internet cable or DSL modem. Once the adaptor is in place, you make calls from your phone as if you were calling over a normal phone connection.

Lingo offers virtual local numbers in 15+ countries worldwide for ~US$10 per month.

Lingo phone service is available in the US and Australia and supports local and domestic long distance calling as well as international calling to any country worldwide at low rates.

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VoIP Buying Tips

We have tried to include VoIP services that can be bought and used from most any country worldwide. However, VoIP availability depends in part on local telecommuncations regulations, so services may not be uniformly available in all countries.

VoIP call quality is improving steadily, but please be aware that VoIP calling may not deliver the same consistently high call quality as traditional landline phone calls. Call quality is fine for most purposes, but may not be adequate for important business calls or other purposes. Click here to learn more about VoIP call quality.

VoIP calling works in a variety of different ways depending on the specific service you use. somewhat differently than you may be used to with normal phone service. In particular, you should understand how your VoIP provider will handle calls coming inbound to you from a regular landline or mobile phone and, likewise, how they will handle calls outbound from you to regular phones. Click here to learn more about VoIP call types.